Regulatory Compliance

We work diligently to conduct our operations in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and apply best practices that meet or exceed regulatory requirements. We take proactive steps to identify, report and resolve potential incidents of non-compliance in cooperation with regulatory agencies. Although Newfield did not report any violations in 2016 as legally required, we did make a commitment to enter into a voluntary consent decree with the state of North Dakota to address industry-wide air pollution in conjunction with other operators in the state. As a result of this commitment, $145,000 was paid in 2017 to address issues associated with the consent decree.

Reclamation

We strive to ensure land is recovered and restored after drilling and completing a well. Our documented management approach, including procedures for restoring or remediating disturbed lands to pre-development conditions, is key to identifying and mitigating potential environmental impacts.

We continue to utilize multi-well pads to minimize our footprint and surface damages. The practice of placing several wells on one pad lessens our impact on land; minimizes the number of rig moves between pads; reduces truck traffic and the need for additional roads; decreases our operating costs; and lowers our effects on wildlife and the communities in which we operate. In 2016, 58 of our wells were drilled from existing or multi-well pads, representing 46 percent of our wells drilled during the year.